


we owe it to ourselves to try.

by redhoods



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bakery, Alternate Universe - Human, M/M, Threesome - M/M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-13
Updated: 2013-03-13
Packaged: 2017-12-05 04:39:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/718979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redhoods/pseuds/redhoods
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Really, he doesn’t see how the two just can’t get along during their shift and then not have anything to do with each other on their off time.</p><p>“It’s obviously sexual tension,” Erica comments from where she’s sprawled on Stiles’ bed, painting her toe nails.</p>
            </blockquote>





	we owe it to ourselves to try.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Everoy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Everoy/gifts).



> i really don't know what this is. i wrote it in less than two hours at three am, so that should tell you everything.

It’s a Wednesday when Scott approaches him as he’s leaving one of his favorite classes. Scott’s eyes are wide and innocent and he has a two cups of coffee in his hand and Isaac sighs, “No.”

Scott gapes at him but hands over the second cup of coffee without protest, falling in step beside Isaac, “I haven’t even made my proposal yet,” he whines and there’s a smear of flour below his ear.

“Last time I agreed to something, I ended up in Lydia’s skirt, with Erica’s lipstick on.”

Next to him, Scott snorts, probably trying to hold back laughter, and Isaac nudges him in the side with an elbow. Isaac turns when they reach the edge of the campus, intent on leading Scott back to the bakery so he can cut out to the library to work on an anatomy paper.

Before they get too much further, Scott grabs his arm, hand warm on the skin above Isaac’s elbow as he pulls him to a stop, “This is serious though, like my career serious,” he says then, eyes wide again, but he’s serious and Isaac sighs, because he’s apparently not immune to Scott like most of their friends.

“What is it?”

Scott shuffles on his feet, moving his hand from Isaac’s arm to rub the back of his own neck, “Come work at the bakery.”

Isaac blinks, then, “What?”

“I need someone else to come work there before I kill Jackson or he kills me or we burn the place down!” And Scott sounds so genuinely distressed and Isaac has been saying he needs to find a job and...really, it’s a problem that he can’t say no to Scott, but he gets the air choked out of him via a hug and then Scott is dragging him to the bakery, excited like a puppy. 

And. Well. Isaac may have a problem.

\--

The bakery isn’t very big, tucked between a photography studio and the bookstore where Stiles and Lydia work, but it’s within a good distance of the college that it gets lots of traffic from students, especially early in the mornings and late at night. The only people that Isaac has ever seen working there are Scott and Jackson, but they both make references to the owner that only the two of them seem to know, so he figures the guy is around somewhere.

Jackson is sitting on one of the back counters when they come in, Scott’s hand back around Isaac’s arm like he’s afraid Isaac will run. He scowls openly at them both and Scott grabs a towel when he passes it and throws it in Jackson’s face, “Make yourself useful, wipe the tables,” and he nearly growls but slides off the counter and moves from behind it.

Isaac watches him, shaking his head when Jackson just plops down in one of the mismatched chairs, not even keeping up the pretense of cleaning. He glances back to Scott when an apron hits him in the chest and wrinkles his nose, “Do I have to wear this?”

“If I do, you do,” Jackson grumpily calls from his table and Scott rolls his eyes so hard, Isaac is worried they might pop out of his head.

Scott directs him to the cash register and he spends the rest of the afternoon, learning the menu and the register buttons, Jackson adding snarky comments whenever he deems necessary.

\--

There is flour high on Jackson’s cheekbone and Isaac really wants to rub it off in a way that has him twisting a rag in his hand to keep from actually doing it. Thankfully, the bell above the door jingles and Lydia flounces in, Stiles, Erica, and Allison on her heels and Isaac sighs in relief.

Erica, Stiles, and Allison are having an elaborate conversation about comic book archers and Lydia is pursing her lips at the menu. Jackson huffs from where he’s making cupcake batter and Isaac hip checks him when he passes, crossing to the register, “What can I get you?” 

Behind him, Jackson makes another sound and twists his upper body to glance in Lydia’s direction, “She gets the same thing every time, Lahey.”

Lydia sneers at Jackson in a way that makes most men cover their valuables and move as far away as possible, but Isaac is pretty certain that Jackson just stuck his tongue out her, “Very mature, children,” he mutters before he can stop himself, and gets twin bitch looks in his own direction.

Allison clears her throat and Stiles draws Lydia into a conversation about calculus or physics or something equally complicated, and Erica steps forward and rattles off their order, making Isaac repeat it back to her three times before she blows him a kiss and joins Allison, Lydia, and Stiles at one of the tables.

Rolling his eyes, he turns to get their drinks and lets Jackson handle the baked part of their order. It’s their system.

\--

Their system appropriately goes to shit when Scott comes in after his class. Isaac really doesn’t get it. Sure, Jackson can be horrible, but he does his work and doesn’t complain...for the most part. And...Scott, well, it’s just hard not to get along with Scott, he’s so painstakingly earnest most of the time.

Really, he doesn’t see how the two just can’t get along during their shift and then not have anything to do with each other on their off time.

“It’s obviously sexual tension,” Erica comments from where she’s sprawled on Stiles’ bed, painting her toe nails. Stiles is off at class or something and Isaac had been trying to finish a paper until Erica had come in, demanding some time for the two of them. Between Isaac working, both of their class schedules, and Erica dating Boyd, they really haven’t spent much time together.

He sighs, “It’s not sexual tension, you just like the idea of the two of them together.”

And, really, she practically purrs at him, “You know you do too.”

Isaac chokes on air and she cackles.

\--

Isaac isn’t even sure what started this argument bordering on war, but there are customers coming in, so he interjects himself between Scott and Jackson, “Look, there’s customers, Scott, why don’t you take their order this time,” he tries and Scott sends another glare over his shoulder at Jackson before turning and plastering a smile on his face as he approaches the register.

Turning towards Jackson, Isaac sighs, “I don’t know what’s going on between the two of you - “

“There’s nothing going on,” Jackson interjects.

“- but, you need to get over it before you both lose your jobs,” he finishes like he hadn’t been interrupted and turns towards the batter that Jackson had been working on, sighing when Jackson bumps him out of the way.

Crisis averted. For now.

\--

It’s raining, the skies have opened up and are letting everything go, and Isaac is soaked to his core and freezing and late. And the last thing he wants to see when he gets into the bakery, dripping all over the floor, is Scott and Jackson fighting behind the counter. They’re both gesturing wildly and yelling so loud that they didn’t even hear Isaac come in.

So he whistles.

They both freeze and turn towards him slowly. His teeth are chattering and his hands are shaking and his curls are plastered to his forehead and Scott is the first one to react, coming out from behind the counter. Isaac holds a hand out to stop him, “I swear to whatever fucking gods are out there, if you two don’t sort your shit out, I will kill you both in your sleep,” he states and then turns, stepping back into the torrential downpour, heading for the dorms.

\--

One warm shower later, Isaac is burrowed under his covers, wearing flannel pants, a long sleeved shirt, and a hoodie from the closet that isn’t his and isn’t Stiles but it’s big and warm so he doesn’t even care. Someone knocks on the door and Isaac hopes the door is unlocked when he calls out, “Come in.”

The door opens a crack and Isaac had almost been expecting Scott, but it’s Jackson who pokes his head in before he comes into the room completely, pushing the door shut behind him. He’s got a container in his hand and looks about twenty types of uncomfortable, “Hey.”

Isaac shuffles back on the bed to sit against the headboard, clutching the covers to his chest, “Hey.”

Jackson pulls his lower lip into his mouth, worrying it with his teeth before releasing it with a soft pop that does weird things to Isaac’s insides, “Scott and I felt bad,” he says softly, then, “I brought soup.”

Sliding sideways on the bed, Isaac pats the spot next to him, “I didn’t actually mean to yell at you guys,” he mutters, almost embarrassed with himself, “I was just cold and wet and you two are infuriating.”

Despite looking completely out of place in his dorm, Jackson sits next to him on the edge of the bed and Isaac is certain he’s imagining the heat he feels, “We deserved to be yelled at,” he replies, almost like it pains him, handing Isaac the container of soup and a plastic wrapped spoon, “Scott wanted me to apologize, also,” he adds.

Isaac nods and pops the lid off the container, taking a deep breath of the steam curling off the top of the soup, “I don’t get why you two just can’t get along.”

His words seem to elevate Jackson’s uncomfortable level and he stands up so fast that Isaac is surprised he doesn’t make himself dizzy, “I should get back.”

“Hey, Jacks,” Isaac catches his wrist when he turns to go, rubbing his thumb absently over Jackson’s thudding pulse, “Thanks for the soup.”

Jackson swallows heavily and nods, not saying anything else as he leaves and Isaac texts Scott a quick thanks before starting on his soup.

\--

Isaac feels like shit when he walks in for his shift the next day and has been assured by Stiles that he also looks like shit. He needed new friends. Scott immediately descends upon him with a hug and a couple dozen apologies, only looking slightly grossed out when Isaac sneezes on his shoulder, “Sorry,” Isaac manages to croak out.

Jackson makes an alarmed sound from his spot at the mixer, “You should definitely go back to your dorm,” he states dubiously, looking like he was even wary about being within a thirty foot radius of Isaac.

Scott nods so hard, Isaac worries he might snap his neck, clasping his hands on Isaac’s shoulders and steering him towards the door, “Yeah, you should go rest and when you’re feeling better you can come back,” he agrees and Isaac blinks.

“Can I at least get a hot chocolate?” He asks before Scott manages to propel him at the door and as Scott moves to comply with his request, Jackson slips out from behind the counter and presses one of the bakery’s take out bags into his hand with an almost smile pulling at his lips before he returns to his spot.

“On the house,” Scott tells him as he hands over the cup of hot chocolate, sending a surprised glance at Jackson when he notices the bag in Isaac’s hands. Jackson studiously ignores him and Isaac lets himself be shuffled out of the bakery, feeling like he may have even accomplished something, even if the price was his health. 

\--

It takes him four days to get over his cold and his friends pretty much treat him like a pariah, which is okay in the fact that he gets caught up on all of his course work and not okay in the fact that it leaves him nothing to do on the fourth day except for go stir crazy and text Scott while he’s at work, until Jackson texts him to tell him to stop distracting Scott. And then he amuses himself with sending Jackson stupid jokes for the rest of the afternoon.

Needless to say, Isaac is actually happy to get back to work the next day and things are actually calm for the entire shift. Scott and Jackson actually carry out several civil, almost friendly, conversations about new recipes and other work related topics and even one not work related topic about the party they’re all supposed to be going to on Friday.

Isaac had almost given up hope on going with his cold, but hearing Jackson and Scott talk about it actually raises his hopes again and he interjects with random information that Erica had texted him during his exile.

At seven, Scott makes a break for the door, shouting about a paper and library and Isaac slips out to get some Chinese from around the corner for he and Jackson.

He ends up on the counter, eating through a container of noodles, and Jackson a few inches away, leaning against the counter, chopsticks tucked behind his ear.

“Did you finish that paper for Lit?” Isaac asks after a brief lull and Jackson shakes his head, setting his empty container off to the side, “I managed mine while I was sick and Stiles said it was actually good,” he states, almost unsure, “If you want help.”

And Jackson is almost looking at him like he’s never seen him before, sort of confused and a bit like...wonder, maybe, but Isaac is definitely imagining things. He’s certain of that. Until Jackson steps between his legs and kisses him. Isaac squeaks, he knows he does, but Jackson just laughs against his lips and presses in more intently.

Yeah, Isaac can definitely get on board with that, setting his container next to him, ignoring when it clatters to the ground, fisting his hands in Jackson’s shirt at his shoulders and pressing back into the kiss. Jackson licks into his mouth and it’s good, really good, until the bell above the door jingles and Jackson pulls back, flushed, his lips swollen in a way that makes Isaac want to drag him back in.

That’s until someone catcalls and he realizes it’s Erica. He wants the ground to swallow him but he slides off the counter and straightens, ignoring Erica’s smirk and the knowing look Boyd shoots him when he takes their order. Jackson cleans up their take out containers and they don’t talk about the kiss when they lock up later that night.

\--

The music is loud and Isaac really can’t hear himself think and he’s not really sure what’s in the plastic cup that Scott just pressed into his hand but he knocks his cup with Scott’s anyways and downs it in one go. It tastes horrible, but settles pleasantly in his belly and Erica is there, dragging himself to the dance floor and he ends up sandwiched between her and Stiles, the three of them dancing horribly off beat until Boyd shows up to take Erica for himself.

Stiles’ cheeks are red and there’s someone back behind Stiles, towards where the drinks are coming from, that’s watching Stiles intently. He can also see Allison and Lydia dancing to one side and he spots Jackson in the throng of people, a plastic cup in his hand. Isaac isn’t sure where Scott is until something warm fits against his back and a chin hooks over his shoulders.

“Someone’s checking you out, Stiles!” Scott shouts over the music and Isaac flinches away from him some, because that was right in his ear. He knicks the drink from Scott’s hand and takes a drink of it, watching Stiles turn and look. He squeaks and color absolutely floods his face and Isaac laughs, leaning back into Scott, waving his hand as if shooing Stiles off towards the guy.

He trips when he turns but recovers and Scott’s chest rumbles with a laugh against his back and Isaac sinks more into him, finishing off the drink and setting the cup to the side on a table before he twists in Scott’s arms to face him. 

Scott’s eyes are glassy and his cheeks are flushed and he’s smiling and Isaac can’t help but lean in a kiss him briefly, sloppily, before resting his cheek on Scott’s shoulder, even though he has to hunch his back to do so. It’s worth it when Scott’s lips brush his shoulder, oblivious to their own audience.

\--

His head is pounding, his mouth is cottony, and there is sun shining in his eyes. Isaac huffs and turns away from it, his body meeting another’s. He blinks a few times, letting himself adjust and finds himself looking at Scott’s sleep slack face. Vague memories filter in and he remembers being told by Stiles not to come back to their dorm and Scott saying that Danny wouldn’t be at their dorm.

“Can hear you thinking,” Scott mutters and promptly curls around him like an octopus or starfish or sloth, “Sleep, Isaac,” he adds and Isaac shakes his head before closing his eyes again and drifting back off, his chin on top of Scott’s head.

It could be hours or minutes later when an alarm goes off somewhere and they both jolt awake with a soft groan, “Work,” Isaac mutters pitifully and lets himself be propelled out of the bed.

He borrows a pair of Danny’s jeans which are a little big around his hips and one of Scott’s shirts that’s a little short sleeve wise, then waits for Scott to vacate the bathroom before he uses someone’s mouth wash to rinse out his mouth and collects his wallet, phone, and keys from his jeans on the floor, “Alright, I’m good,” he murmurs, even though his head is still pounding.

Scott just nods and they lean on each other as they make their way to the bakery.

Jackson is slumped over the counter next to the register and doesn’t even look up when they come in, just groans out a, “Go the fuck away.”

“We brought aspirin,” Isaac replies then, shaking the plastic baggie in his hand.

Jackson lifts his head, “I could kiss you.”

Isaac flushes brightly and ignores how Scott looks between them as he crosses the bakery and slips behind the counter, fishing the bottle out of the bag and fighting with the cap until Jackson takes it from his hands and pops the lid. Jackson takes three for himself and passes the bottle back so Isaac can shake out two for himself before he hands it to Scott and goes to get them all glasses of water.

When he comes back, Jackson and Scott seem to be engaged in a serious conversation, though they don’t seem to be arguing. Isaac just clears his throat and lifts an eyebrow at how Scott jumps, a barely noticeable blush forming on his cheeks.

“Oh for god’s sake,” Jackson mutters and then kisses him. Him as in Scott. Jackson is kissing Scott.

Isaac thinks he may have just swallowed his tongue and has to set down the glasses when he realizes that Scott is kissing him back. His hands are shaking when he goes to take the aspirin so he doesn’t see who breaks the kiss, just feels when both pairs of eyes settle on him and focuses intently on taking several gulps of water before he turns to face them.

“We think you should date us,” Scott says, almost diplomatically.

Jackson snorts and doesn’t even flinch when Scott punches his arm, eyes still focused on Isaac. Isaac who is hungover and doesn’t know what to do with the two of them. How is he supposed to date them? How does something like that even work?

“You’re thinking too much again,” Scott informs him and Jackson nods in agreement before stepping forward into Isaac’s personal space and kissing him. It’s deep and bruising like that last one and Isaac has to grip the counter next to him to keep from falling over, especially when Scott joins them behind the counter and swoops in to kiss him, sweet and chaste.

The bell above the door jingles and Erica calls out, “Isaac, you slag!”

Isaac groans softly and presses his face into the shoulder closest to him.

\--

When Isaac gets the bakery, Scott and Jackson are behind the counter, their sides pressed together as they frost cupcakes and Erica glances up from where she’s typing something on her laptop, her feet in Stiles’s lap as he reads a thick, ancient looking book, “If you three get any cuter, I’m going to puke on the floor,” she states seriously and Stiles doesn’t even look up, just nods.

Isaac rolls his head, “Don’t be jealous,” he tells her with a wink and continues on, slipping behind the counter. Scott has moved away from Jackson, pulling something from the oven so Isaac slides over next to Jackson, swiping a finger through the icing at the end of Scott’s pastry bag and dragging it down Jackson’s cheek.

Scott laughs from behind them until Isaac darts forward to lick the icing off and Isaac can feel the smugness Jackson is radiating, so he pinches his side and turns to greet Scott with a kiss. It’s his own balancing system that he’s worked out with the two of them.

The bell above the door jingles and Isaac shoos Scott back to his task and steps up towards the cash register, vaguely listening to Scott and Jackson’s mock one up competition off to his left.


End file.
